Linda Boice's Response

I asked Linda Boice to give her thoughts on Liam Goligher.

I am rejoicing. And I'm awed by the Lord's goodness and providential care of us, his people.  After losing Jim in 2000 and then having Dr. Philip Ryken, our faithful expositor and pastor, answer a call to Wheaton College, the future of Tenth Church, to me, seemed uncertain. I believed that the Lord could provide another senior pastor of such gifts and convictions, but I did not want to presume. Churches go through hard times. But how gracious the Lord has been to us. He has prepared Dr. Liam and Christine Goligher for this very place and for this very time.

This is a couple so suited to this city church and its world-wide ministry. That Liam has loved and been influenced by Tenth's strong tradition of expository preaching since his early years reminds me of Jim's similar preparation for this particular congregation. The influence of Dr. Barnhouse and the model of biblical preaching which fell on Jim's shoulders was almost like Elijah's mantle. As Rick Phillips emphasized in his strong message in November, the clear exposition and application of God's Word is what Tenth stands on and what has kept the witness at 17th and Spruce Streets so vital. This is the kind of preaching we've been blessed to hear from Dr. Goligher in recent summers.

Liam and Christine Goligher are so experienced in the pastoral care of a metropolitan congregation, and have loved being a part of our congregation on their regular visits to the U.S. They are not strangers coming to an unknown church, but are already part of our “extended” Tenth family.

Lamentations 3 expresses what I am learning anew as the Golighers are called to minister to us in the coming years: “His mercies are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness.”